


Eye of the Moon

by KeanBlade



Series: Color of Vermilion- AU's of the au color in red. [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Chakra kink, Crack, Fluff and Crack, Hair Kink, Multi, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-12 00:35:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 21,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19937116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeanBlade/pseuds/KeanBlade
Summary: the 4th shinobi war was supposed to be very dramatic and impressive, not a chance for Madara to air all of Hashirama's dirty laundry.(or, Tobirama gets shit done)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sharked](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sharked/gifts), [Miray](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miray/gifts).



> born from the comments on the main series about how the 4th war might go. I couldn't get the idea out of my head, so *shrug* something much sillier. This goes au somewhere partway through 'runs in the blood'. not sure how long it will be or what the update speed will be though.  
> For anyone who hasn't read that series though here's the short version: Tobirama healed Izuna after wounding him and Izuna killed him at he same time. After Tobirama died Madara fell in love with him as he learned more about him in part from the extensive plans he left for the village. Hashirama never really talked about his brother out of grief so Tobirama wasn't well known though he was important. Madara still left the village.

Tobirama was confused. Like. Really confused. About a lot of things (how was he alive (alive?)? Why was the moon red? Who had been messing with dead people? That was his department and even he wasn't thrilled with it. Though now he had another chance to get a look at it.....) but most prominently, why were there several thousand shinobi all staring in another direction? What had happened since his death if a zombie wasn't the most interesting thing is the room? (.... It was Hashirama wasn't it. It was always Hashirama. Which meant Madara must be there as well, and Tobirama was not going to resent that, he wasn't.)

Tobirama looked around for the most likely looking candidate for his resurrection and blinked in surprise at a blond shinobi in an unadvisable orange jacket looking particularly sheepish. "Um. Sorry?"

Tobirama raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

"In my defense mom's the one who told me how to do it and she got it from Mito-Sama, and she was a chakra ghost, mom not Mito-Sama, so she didn't exactly have time to tell me much, like what it would do, just that the only thing that would help was, well, you, except I didn't know that at the time! I just knew how to do it! I didn’t know _what_ it was going to do! Any then you were” (he made a strange explode-y hand gesture) “and I was” (now some strange mix of hand waving that Tobirama couldn’t even begin to follow) “So.... yeah."

"You performed an unknown jutsu in a battle situation on the orders of a chakra ghost." "Um. Yeah. Though. Not so much a battle as just awkward standing around at this point, and, um, uncomfortable, for like everyone else, and them too, probably. So. It was supposed to be a big battle and then Madara started shouting and Hashirama started wailing and just… yeah."

Tobirama was way too tired to deal with this shit.

"Yes. They do that. They're still unintelligible so it could be a while before one of them starts thinking again. Tell me what has happened while I have been… indisposed." With that he turned and strode into the midst of the confused and awkward crowd. The blond scrambled to keep up and began explaining things in fits and starts as the crowd parted in front of them (Tobirama was pleased to see he still had it) the farther he got the more intense Tobirama's headache got, how had they messed everything up so badly?! What the fuck! He had all but left instructions for them! And Touka deserting? Why? Seriously, what the fuck.

“So then everyone knows that Madara was in love with a Senju and it was this great sad love story thing and Hashirama was yelling about it and-“ “He was in _love_ with a Senju?” Tobirama asks sharply rounding on the kid. He winced a little when the boy flinched back, right, still got _it_ , probably scary looking, especially while dead-ish (and what does he look like? He had theorized on what it might look like if the Edo Tensei worked but never finished it, so he never got to see and) “What do I look like? No. wait, more important things, which Senju?” “Um, no one knows?” “No one knows.” “Well, like, someone probably did but now there’s just a bunch of rumors and… yeah. But there was some fire when it came up, Madara was pissed.” Tobirama will not feel jealous, he won’t. (Only, if some other Senju got to get their fingers in that hair he is going to kill them. But, actually, he sort of remembers how that feels? Kind of? Maybe? He was definitely dead though. How- right. Also unimportant.) hmm maybe Touka knows who the mystery Senju was, it sounded as though they might be able to straighten this out a bit.

“can you perform the Edo Tensei again?” “I guess? Why would you want to do that?” Sigh “Because maybe seeing his lost love will shock Madara into silence for two seconds, he always has been…. Shouty. But I need Touka Senju to tell me who it is” “Oh! Ok, yeah, just give me a minuet or two” and with that the boy stopped in the middle of the crowd and began focusing. Tobirama sighed. This was stupid. So, so, stupid. At least Mito seemed to have fixed the human sacrifice thing, mostly by using the chakra of the user to make it work; more temporary though. And a good thing the kid had a ridiculously large amount of chakra (honestly Mito, the kyuubi, really? _really?_ ).

Huh. It sounded like they had progressed from shouting to yelling at each other, and probably running is circles, next one of them would stop to bellow something they thought particularly important and then the other one would say something stupid (Hashirama) and the first would launch an actual attack. He should stop them before it got to that. They could do some real damage and probably wouldn’t notice other people in their blast radius, well, Madara probably just wouldn’t care if the crazy in his chakra was anything to go by. Which, ouch. His chakra was so, so, messed up right now it hurt; and so cripplingly sad. When Tobirama found out who had made him feel that way he was going to kill them. Even if it was Hashirama- he was already dead anyway, it’s not like he could get deader (also, apparently he could tell the difference between the living and the resurrected dead in their chakra. Helpful.)

He tipped his head slightly, trying to catch what was being said and only getting snatches “you vile slimy….. and if you had just… you never deserved….” That was Madara, but what the hell was he talking about? Hashirama “I didn’t…. not my… I could have…. You could have…… Izuna” Tobirama rolled his eyes, (he also winced and stretched out a weary chakra feeler, Izuna wasn’t around here somewhere was he? He couldn't deal with Izuna's dramatics today) what a mess. The boy- he needed to get his name- sat back with a shout of success as the soil in front of him shifted “What is your name kid?” “Oy! I’m not a kid! And I’m Naruto! I’m going to be the next Hokage!” Tobirama blinked thoughtfully at him “Yes. Yes I believe you will. And one of the best I think.” The kid- Naruto- froze, mouth open and a shocked look on his face “You… you think so?” the albino raised an eyebrow “I don’t make a habit of saying things I don’t think are true.” “Oh. I… oh. Thank you” Naruto’s voice was small and a little uncertain. But before Tobirama could enquire why he was so shocked to have someone support him (he seemed a good kid, it wasn’t right that he look as uncertain in the face of someone agreeing with him) the Edo Tensei caught and Touka stepped out of the coffin, looking faintly confused. (so _that_ was what he looked like, the eyes were interesting, decomposition or just a side effect?)

“This… is not what I expected.” She said slowly. “Hmmm, yes, rather startling, I didn’t think the technique would work.” “Tobirama?” He blinked at her expression, something between hope and disbelief “Ah, yes?” “Oh god, Tobirama. You’re, oh god” she dragged he into a suffocating hug (interesting, he didn’t need to breath in this form) crushing him to her. Tobirama sighed with the last of his breath and let her take her fill. Or he intended too. Eventually Naruto started bouncing impatiently and Tobirama wriggled until Touka released him “What is going on cousin?” “Madara and Hashirama.” He said dryly, watching with curiosity as Touka grimaced a little, “It’s unclear what they are fighting about this time” both Senju looked to the blond who froze under their combined gaze “Um. No? No one knows? I mean. Tobi has been trying to kill Konoha people for a long time and Madara with the whole Kurama thing and Zetsu is creepy and all the people fashwith bad the bad fashion choices- red clouds? Why? - and then there was the whole tailed beasts thing and now—” Naruto had devolved into flailing. “Yes” Tobirama said dryly “what he said.”

“So, to sum this up, this is supposed to be a shinobi war but Madara and Hashi are making such a fuss no one else is fighting?” Touka sounded almost as done as Tobirama felt. Naruto squirmed “Um. Yes. Basically? We were just going to wait but then they moved one from who did whose paperwork and got into how they treated people. Something about betrayal? I think? And it just…. it got so awkward! I couldn’t do it! And Sakura told me to be quiet so she could listen but Tsunade was making noises about burying herself in the sand to get away from it and I don’t want her to die! And then Madara said something about loving some one more then Hashirama had and then Hashirama started crying! And then Kurama said this was to silly to deal with and mad me talk to mom and-““Yes Naruto, thank you, we’re caught up with things after that. What I want to know is why anyone, Mito or otherwise, thought I would be able to help.” Tobirama said exasperatedly. Touka stared at him. Hard. It was awkward. And uncomfortable. He wanted her to stop.

“Riiiiiiggghhht. Ok. About that- actually no, why did you bring me back?” she said slowly “Naruto said something about some Senju Madara was in love with, presumably they would be able to make Madara more sensible, I’ll talk to Hashirama I guess.” Tobirama couldn’t help but wince at the idea, he didn’t want to get cried on today (what if his body was made of grave dirt? What if he got _muddy?!_ ) “It’s either the mystery Senju or Izuna and I so don’t have energy for that right now. So, who was it?” Tobirama didn’t want to know (he didn’t want to know what they had he didn’t) but if he had too, he would do it. Touka stared at him “I- no. nope. You’re on your own in this kid.” He shot her a disgruntled look “Really? I can tell that you know and just don’t want to tell me.” “Noooo, no, I know, I just want to see the look on your face when you figure it out. So, you just go on over there and ask them about it.” Tobirama sighed. Damnit. He was too dead for this shit. _Fine._ If that was the way Touka was going to be then that was exactly was he was going to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I write fast and don't edit much- this is a place for me to not have to worry too much about perfection and just enjoy it- so things can be mangled at times. (I've got a wonky brain that can't see symbols as well, so I frequently can't even see mistakes) That's not something that's likely to change any time soon, so if imperfect writing puts you off this probably isn't for you


	2. Chapter 2

In the center of a circle of embarrassed shinobi Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju were flailing at each other, (wow, Naruto was right, this was _very_ embarrassing. So much worse than it had been when it had just been their clans. Now there were several hundred thousand shinobi watching the two most powerful shinobi ever run around like dogs with their heads stuck in buckets) but it got _significantly_ less funny when Madara regained the ability to talk coherently, well, a little.

"What the fuck it wrong with you? You piece of shit! You learned nothing, nothing! You lost him and just kept acting like you were above everything! That was your little brother! You don’t get to pretend he didn’t have anything to do with this!” Madara was livid, completely livid, and getting angrier somehow “Regret is supposed to make you better! You never changed, not even after you drove him to his death. You _never_ admitted you were wrong; you just went on like nothing had even happened and pretended he never existed.” Wow, Tobirama hadn’t realized Madara _could_ sound that hateful, it was a little impressive (and no Tobirama wasn’t going to think about what Madara was saying, because, he just wasn’t).

“I did not! It’s not my fault! I didn’t-“ aaannnndd here it was, the moment Tobirama had been waiting for. Madara had said something important to him and Hashirama had basically ignored it (which, really Hashi? Really? Tobirama had no clue what was going on and even he could tell that his was not an appropriate response) so this was the point where they _actually_ started fighting. And given that Tobirama had never seen either of them look this angry (especially Madara. mostly Madara. Oh my god his hair was literally smoking a the ends. If it burnt off Tobirama was going to be _very put out._ ) it was going to be a bad one. So Tobirama did the most logical thing; he body flickered in between them.

Tobirama looked with mild curiosity at his brother’s hand where it was punched through his chest, huh, he hadn’t expected it to tickle. He also hadn’t expected either of them to see him soon enough to pull their blows but oddly enough Madara _had_ , one of those silly black rods that he had been waving around inches from Tobirama’s face. Madara looked shocked to the bone, an expression that slowly faded into something like heartbreak, the albino cocked his head curiously at the dark-haired man wondering what had put that expression on his face. Hashirama made some sort of high pitched noise and yanked his hand out making Tobirama stager slightly and Madara dropped the rod thing and lunged forward to stabilize him hands curling around his elbow and hip- Tobirama would argue till the end of time that the faint red spreading across his cheeks was surprise or pain or anything but _not_ a blush, it definitely wasn’t a blush, definitely not. He was thrown forward into Madara (ok, _now_ it was a blush) as Hashirama slammed into his back and wrapped his long floppy arms around both of them pressing them even more tightly together. Madara seemed perfectly happy with this turn of events and slid the hand on his hip a little farther around him with a self-satisfied smirk. Which, what? ……… as nice as this was (and it was very, _very_ , nice) the awkwardness of the crowd was beginning to get overwhelming so Tobirama started to shift uncomfortably but neither of them seemed to care all that much so he just gave up and used the seal he had slapped on Naruto to hiraishin his way the fuck out of there, ignoring the squawking behind him.

“Tobirama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Hashirama wailed pitifully and Madara immediately began searching for him with a look of such distress on his face that Tobirama gave up and dragged Naruto closer until he was back in the cleared out circle- if he had to suffer through this inanity he was talking someone else down with him. (he was pretty sure Touka had corralled a few other young people who looked like they were involved in this and was dragging them with her to the clear space. He loved Touka.) “Tobira!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” his idiot brother cheered when he saw Tobirama again, this was ridiculous. And not what he had died for. Seriously, why did people ever respect Hashi?

“Who’s Tobirama?” It was a whisper, but it silenced the whole crowd. Tobirama was honestly a little hurt, he thought he had more to do with founding the village than that; unless they hadn’t used any of his plans? Maybe they found someone else to write tax law, it was possible (just, unlikely. Shinobi were not city planers. It had taken Tobirama years to get to the point that his ideas were workable, he could re-die happy if no one ever saw his original plumbing ideas). Madara took one look at Tobirama’s face and both he and Hashirama turned slowly to that particular idiot.

The only thing anyone saw was a sudden spray of blood and then Hashirama and Madara were standing over the body shouting at each other (“I killed him!” “no you didn’t! I got there first look at the missing head, that’s a me thing! you never kill people that way!” “no! Look at the root in his-“), Tobirama cleared his throat loudly; both men turned to look at him, Hashirama looked vaguely sheepish but Madara just looked around shouting “ANYONE ELSE NOT KNOW WHO HE IS!?” Unsurprisingly, no one responded. “Madara. Really now. It’s not that shocking that they don’t know-“ “Yes it fucking is! That is not ok!! Everyone should know who you are!!! You basically built that damn village and you weren’t even there!!!! You’re one of the best shinobi of any age and the smartest and every kid you taught loved you and you’re loyal and you’re gorgeous and you saved my brother when you didn’t have too and your hair looks soft and your eyes are really pretty and you always planned ahead for everything and-“ at this point Touka took pity on a hotly blushing Tobirama and interrupted Madara’s tirade about how amazing the albino was “Yes, quite, while I agree with you on pretty much everything, (not the hair thing- or the eyes, sorry kid) I think you’ve made your point.” If Tobirama had thought the silence couldn’t get more awkward before he now knew he was wrong; he couldn’t quite make himself look at anyone but peeked at Madara through his loose hair. Madara looked completely unrepentant and unembarrassed, Hashirama looked a bit constipated but unsurprised which was…. Confusing. It had already been said but it bore repeating, Tobirama was confused. Very confused.

Madara folded his arms stubbornly. “No, not moving on this. Tobirama is awesome and anyone who thinks OTHERWISE CAN BITE ME! AND I BITE BACK!!!! If Hashirama wasn’t an arrogant, thick, inept, self-absorbed, buffoon of a treestump things wouldn’t be like this! And debriefing reports wouldn’t have to be filed in triplicate on three different color papers _just because he always lost at least one copy!!!_ ” (A sharp yelp was heard from somewhere around Touka “That’s because of him!? I had to write and ANBU assassination report on baby blue paper, _baby blue!_ ”) Tobirama turned a face like a thunder cloud on Hashirama folding his arms slowly (he did it better than Madara, Madara would be annoyed if he wasn’t so turned on) as he visibly gained gravity and collected all the echoing souls of the dead to proclaim Hashirama’s incompetence. “You did what. You did _what.”_ “Now Tobira, it’s not-“Hashirama was actually backing away a little, hands held out in front of him placatingly (Madara swallowed hard. God this was hot.) “Tobira, it had nothing-““No.” Somehow Tobirama’s voice was actually getting deeper “No Hashirama. I left _very_ clear instructions on the matter of paperwork, _particularly mission debriefs._ ”

(This was one of the strangest things Kakashi had ever seen. Whoever the pale haired ninja was- Madara’s rant really hadn’t cleared anything up- he was managing to cow the strongest shinobi ever- though Madara had really, _really_ , been giving him a run for the title- into a quivering wreak. And if Madara wasn’t panting after him Kakashi would eat his mask. Also, and he felt this couldn’t be said often enough, they were yelling at each other about the color of paper used for paperwork. And somehow _white_ wasn’t in consideration.)


	3. Chapter 3

“You. Come here.” Kakashi froze like a shocked rabbit under Tobirama’s gimlet stare (oh. _That’s_ why Hashirama looked so scared) and slowly tried inching his way behind Touka (every Konoha shinobi knew about the powerful Senju that had set down the law when it came to the training of kunoichi, Touka was responsible for some really frightening women), he didn’t really want to come closer to the intimidating zombie. Touka reached out and picked him up by his collar (wow. No one had done that to him since his dad died, clearly she had known some Hatake before to have such a firm grip) and turned to the rest of her ducklings “Stay” her firm command was acknowledged with set of slightly frantic nodding, Touka looked at them carefully before storming to down to Tobirama with a dejected Kakashi hanging from her hand.

Tobirama nodded firmly at Touka when she deposited a limp Kakashi in front of him absent mindedly ruffling a confused Naruto’s hair (Naruto was watching the spectacle with huge eyes, this he thought, this was who he wanted to be when he grew up) Naruto looked at Kakashi- for once with no porn anywhere in sight- looking unusually obedient, thought about the way everyone was deferring to him, about the way Tobirama thought he was worth something right away, about the look on Madara’s face, “You’re my hero” he said in a whisper turning worshipful eyes to Tobirama. Tobirama shot him a surprised glance and his red eyes softened at the look on the boy’s eyes flicking up to the meatal on his brow. The albino turned to Kakashi “Now. Tell me what you mean. Hashi, don’t you dare go anywhere.” Hashirama, who had been slowly sinking into the ground, froze and slowly started reemerging dirt sloughing off of him and leaving him mud streaked and dirty. Kakashi swallowed thickly but dutifully opened his mouth “I went into a stationary shop to get three colors of paper, but civilians don’t like seeing fresh returned ANBU (or any shinobi), maybe it’s the blood? They shrike a lot…. So any time you get back and have to get three paper colors you have to careful about when you go into the shop, only I was really tired and so I just figured I would get it done and when I went in the screaming started (I don’t know why, I didn’t have any weapons, just the head and it wasn’t even dripping anymore) so I thought it would be best to just get in and out quickly so I just grabbed whatever was closest to the door and got out. Which meant I had baby blue.” Silence. Complete silence- well not complete, Madara was giggling somewhere near Hashirama- before Tobirama dragged in a deep, deep, breath pinching the bridge of his nose firmly.

“Naruto. How bad is the chakra strain from supporting me?” “Um, I can’t tell?” Red eyes opened and blinked at the blond “You must have too much charka to even function sometimes, did the seal matrix of the river dragon help? I never could test it on someone with quite that much strength.” Naruto was confused. “Seal matrix of the river dragon? Ummmmmm” Tobirama stared at him. He took in another _deep_ breath. “You’ve never heard of it.” “Um no?” “Alright. Alright when this silliness is sorted out, _I_ am going to explain it and put it on you, then you are going to take me back to the village so I can sort out paperwork practices. Anything else?” Naruto hesitated for a moment and the tentatively raised his hand. Tobirama nodded to him “Um, can you. Can you maybe do something about the jinchuriki thing? Only. See Kurama says he wouldn’t mind more space and it would be nice if he could take vacations and things, or like eat- he’s never had ramen!! Its _horrible!_ ”

“Ah, yes” said Tobirama rounding on his brother again “Hashi. Brother. Clan head.” (Hashirama was white) “Why. Just. Why. Why did you ever think that jinchuriki was a good idea? _Why._ Because as far as I can tell you suggested the imprisonment of unwilling sentient beings inside seals you didn’t even bother to make standard, so people kept making up new ones to use. And then. _And then_ you thought that this idea wasn’t going to blow up?!” Hashirama quailed but forced himself to defend himself “it was just an idea! Mito’s” he paused, looked around like he expected his wife to spring from the earth (not an unfounded fear right now really) and derailed what ever he had been about to say about her “well, anyway, Madara had made it clear that they could be controlled so they needed to be protected so they wouldn’t get used as weapons again!” Tobirama just looked at him “I am so disappointed in you right now. Thank god the village had Mito.” Hashirama wilted. Completely, like someone had suddenly deflated him he slumped to the ground with a wail of despair. “Yes, I’m sure we can come up with a seal that gives the Biju the ability to choose their own jinchuriki. One they can leave if they like; though I suspect that they would find the world without a jinchuriki rather hostile- the chakra patterns of the land have changed too much. Anything else?”

Naruto stared. He was about two sentences from crying (Tobirama believed in him, Tobirama took him seriously, Tobirama made people behave, Tobirama was going to _fix_ things just because Naruto asked) “Um” he swallowed hard “well there is the whole 4th war thing? Like, can we have fewer of these? And maybe get Zetsu and Tobi and Madara to stop trying to do….. whatever it is they are doing” (Tobirama’s look of afront at the fact the Tobi’s name was basically a foreshortening of his own was hilarious) “ _4 th _war. What a mess. Yes, we can make that stop. I am sure we can figure out a system with more politics and less all out murder. As for the rest- Touka find Zetsu. You, cousin, go find this Tobi person and bring him here.” Kakashi blinked at him incomprehensibly “…..cousin?” (Tobirama wanted a nap. And maybe to have Madara take it with him. It seemed more possible than it had before- after all there was all the stuff about his eyes) “Yes. We are cousins of a sort. My mother was your father’s aunt.” “ _How can you tell!?!_ ” Kakashi squawked. The albino gave him an exasperated look “Sensor. Now _get to it._ ” off he went with a frightened squeak that made Naruto giggle. Tobirama took a second to gather himself and turned to Madara.

Who was much closer than he had been, only barely staying out of Tobirama’s personal space “Oh. Right. Madara. I” he licked his lips more than a little confused when Madara’s eyes zeroed in on the movement with an intensity that made something in Tobirama give a warm twist. Desperately he looked around for something to distract him (the small gaggle of young people Touka had collected were all standing near by still, looking deeply confused) and came up unfortunately short. “Madara.-“ “I love the way you say my name” “I- what?” “You should say it more often. I’ve only heard it twice.” Tobirama gaped (ok, Naruto thought, not everyone was cowed, but on the other hand he was pretty sure he knew who Madara’s famed Senju love was and couldn’t help but feel like cheering them on) and spluttered a bit as he tried to get his feet under himself again “I. Um. You- I- you want what? No. No wait not important-“ “You _are_ important” Madara grumbled under his breath “What exactly are you doing here?” Madara pouted (800,000 shinobi blushed. Someone as terrifying as him shouldn’t capable of being that cute.) but resigned himself to answering some questions “The village wasn’t the way it should have been and they never deserved you, you were to good for them, and you weren’t there so Touka and I went an a murder road trip and then she died and I got mad and then- well, then Zetsu. Basically, after that there was Zetsu.” “Ah. Ok. That really doesn’t help. What do you _want?_ What are you trying to do?” Madara got an evil glint in his eye (which looked very odd with the Rinnegan) and responded in sly tone “What do I want?” Tobirama opened his mouth- clearly annoyed- but before he could get any words out Madara surged forward and kissed him.

Tobirama went limp. He fell into Madara like a wave, grasping at the other man’s shoulders to stay upright as his knees gave up under the onslaught. Madara wasted no time, he didn’t bother to start slow instead licking straight into the slimmer man’s mouth moments after he pressed their lips together carefully memorizing every noise Tobirama made- a nibble on his thin lip got a breathy whimper, a brush of the tongue there made him moan, using the hand on his hip to press them closer together made him gasp- and planning out exactly what he was going to try next when there was both a bed and no avidly watching audience. (And they were watching avidly. Not only was the drama all but addicting- ninja had a weakness for soaps- but the two of them together were an undeniably arousing sight.) He withdrew from Tobirama’s lips with great reluctance liking his own to chase any trace of the younger man “That.” He said smugly. "That is what I want. Pretty much all I’ve ever wanted.” “Oh” Tobirama murmured dazedly “Oh, well, um, you’re very welcome to that” (Hashirama made a sound roughly equal to a dying walrus, he was being very good, he wasn’t interrupting, he knew ((now)) how important this was to both of them and he wouldn’t take it from them, but he didn’t need to hear this sort of thing about his baby brother). Madara gave a satisfied nod “Good.” And wrapped his arm more firmly around Tobirama and turned his still overwhelmed lover (not yet, but soon, _very_ soon) to look at an approaching Touka.


	4. Chapter 4

Even in the course of their long trip killing everyone that had hurt Tobirama (one of the better times in his life) Madara had never seen Touka look quite that mad, shinobi were scattering in front of her and in her wake a dazed looking Kakashi followed a wire wrapped figure over his shoulder- oh right, Madara was going to have to do something about that soon. Touka stopped in front of them eying the arm around Tobirama’s waist with approval, “Here” she snapped “have a Zetsu” and dropped the thing in front of them. “Oh. By that way. This is the thing that killed me.” She added faux absentminded. Madara blew his top “WHAT!?! YOU DID NOT. _I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!_ ” his voice was reaching impressive octaves Tobirama would have spent more time categorizing it if he weren’t feeling cold anger crawl up his spine “It killed you?” he asked Touka calmly (she shivered) “Yeah, Mads and I were killing people (oh we got that man in Suna, the one that tied you up outside, he is very dead. Madara enjoyed that one)” Tobirama shot Madara a shocked look, Madara just looked pleased with himself (he was, he really was, he had enjoyed killing that man) and Tobirama fought down a shiver of pleasure at the thought of them going to far to defend him. “And then as we were winding down the plant-thing killed me.” Touka finished.

Madara stared at her, “You mean I’ve been working with the thing that killed you?!” he was starting to look a little wild around the eyes Tobirama thought, hmm, “I- I- I can’t- you- and- it- plan-“ Madara appeared to have gotten stuck. The albino rolled his eyes and solved the problem; he grabbed Madara’s face and yanked him into a kiss (mmmmm, he need to do this more often) winding his fingers into that delightful hair (Tobirama was fairly sure he was never going to get used to having access to that) and giving a firm tug ( _oh_. Wow. Tobirama wanted to hear that noise again). Touka cleared her throat loudly and when that didn’t work she gave Zestu a hard kick making it give a strange wobbly squelching noise, that _did_ work to start them apart. Though only slowly as they stood very close still looking into each other’s eyes (was watching the Rinnegan dizzying? It looked like it should be. Like one of those spinning spiral things at fairs sometimes- the ones that gave false perspectives or whatever), it was Kakashi that actually succeeded, blurting out “What is kissing him like? Is it like dirt?” only to recoil at the vicious look Madara shot him. “He does not-!” “No!” interrupted Hashirama sharply, “I have to watch you, watch you, you- canoodle! I don’t want to hear about it! Besides, what about plant thing?!” he flailed at Zestu where it was sitting(laying?) looking put out at being ignored. Madara turned back to it visibly fluffing up again and opened his mouth, “No” said Tobirama catching Madara’s chin in his hand and turning him back to face the albino “No need to talk to it, I’m guessing it talks you into things, just burn it.” Tobirama said sensibly.

There was a moment of shocked silence. “Um” said Naruto “We’re not going to let it monologue about it’s important world changing evil plan and why we should all side with it and then one of us will get swayed and then the rest of us will have to convince them not to go to the dark side by monologuing back at them as we fight causing them to have a flashback to their childhood and then change their minds based on some forgotten memory?” _silence_ “Is that something you have to do often?” asked Tobirama slowly, 800,000 shinobi nodded in sync. “Well. No. I don’t see any reason for that if we already know he’s the bad guy.” Zetsu, who had been drawing itself up in preparation of it’s villain monologue, slumped dejectedly. Madara blinked blankly, (no monologue he had to fight not to be effected by? But, but what was he supposed to do now) Tobirama patted him on the back (well, “on the back” if his hand slipped lower no one could see it through the hair) and pushed him gently towards Zetsu “Just go set it on fire dear.” Madara brightened at the endearment and cheerfully turned to burning shit. (He was even nice enough to let Hashirama help.)

Tobirama turned to Naruto, “This childhood flashback thing, you have to do it a lot?” a nod “Does it work?” a nod “How?!” Tobirama actually sounded close to baffled at this. Kakashi perked up at the idea of being helpful “We call it Therapy no Jutsu, Naruto created it. There are a few other people that can use it once in a while but he’s the best.” Tobirama gave Kakashi an approving nod ((the Hatake blinked at the sudden feeling of accomplishment)) “Therapy no Jutsu. Hmm. Madara!” From the midst of a twister of flame and mad laughing Madara gave a vaguely acknowledging yelp “This Tobi person, does he need Therapy no Jutsu?” “What?! He- ow, fuck watching what your- fuck Hashi, not the eggplant- yeah, he’s a good- eternal flame, why, no, die fucker- kid.” “hmm, thank you dear.” Deep in a rush of flame and plant matter Madara gave a stupid smile. “Naruto, please apply Therapy no Jutsu.” Tobirama said firmly. Naruto stared at him. “What?” “I would rather not kill an Uchiha given how few of them I can sense but he’s clearly not right in the head to be wearing that silly mask. Remember Naruto, the fashion choices a shinobi makes can give you a good feel for the enemy’s sanity, and silly swirly masks are not a good sign.” “Oh. Ok!! Therapy no JUTSU!!” Tobirama watched vaguely impressed as Naruto set about applying the jutsu to a confused Tobi. “Fashion is an indicator of sanity?” a very aggressive voice asked at the albino’s elbow, Tobirama turned to him with an unimpressed eyebrow (the eyebrow did it’s job and the Uchiha boy shrunk down a little) “Yes.” Tobirama’s eyes dropped down the boy’s form and the eyebrow went up just a little farther. The Uchiha boy gathered himself visibly “What do red clouds mean?” “Explain” “My brother wears a cloak with red clouds on it.” “What it the background.” “Black.” “That’s a good sign, clashing colors is always a bad indication. Hmm, well, I’m not impressed. Is it the young man over by the rocks? The sick one?” Tobirama asked “He’s sick?!” Susake yelped (Tobirama grimaced, shinobi were so loud now…) “Yes.” “He’s going to die!?!” “Not necessarily no. The damage to his mind can probably be fixed with Senju Canis no Jutsu and his lungs can almost certainly be fix as well.” Sasuke paused “…… Canis no Jutsu?” “Hmmm, used extensively in war time, it’s a little complex and can be time consuming but a good fix for damage to the mind. Go fetch the young man for Touka to keep an eye on and I’ll add him to the list to fix.” (Touka sent him a very dirty look, but honestly she had brought it on herself, she could babysit for a while.) God. At this point Naruto had better have a _lot_ of chakra if he was going to keep Tobirama around long enough to finish the list.

Tobirama thought about it for a minuet. No. Top of the list was a nap. With Madara. And a chance to brush his hair- it needed it- Tobirama was beginning to get concerned about his fixation on Madara’s hair. Well. As far as eccentricities went it wasn’t a bad one. It wasn’t talking to trees (even if they can understand it’s still a strange habit brother!) or collecting lipstick (looking at you Touka) at least. (or a fixation on pinecones, why Mito? Why?) So, nap with Madara after brushing his hair, then war clean up, paperwork, jinchuriki, seal for Naruto to make his chakra less painful (and having that much would hurt, Tobirama was sure of that. It had hurt Hashi and he hadn’t had that much), politics/repeated war, sick Uchiha brother, talk to the Hyuuga about that seal he could feel on the long haired boy watching Naruto anxiously, and- Tobirama stepped gracefully out of the way of his brother’s flying body- and… drat. He had lost his train of thought. (He was really making an assumption about Madara’s to assume he wouldn’t mind a nap with Tobirama, but surely the kissing meant something?)

About that point (Madara felt the shift- somehow he just knew that Tobira was starting to doubt Madara’s regard) there was a gigantic flare of black flame and Madara and Hashirama bounced (well Madara bounced, Hashirama was looking extremely worse for the wear) out of the mess and Madara swept up to Tobirama with a wild grin (it was a good day, Tobirama was back, Touka was back, he go to kiss Tobirama, he got to kill the person who killed Touka, Tobirama called him dear, he got to kick the shit out of Hashirama, Tobirama was watching him) snagged the albino with a hand around his nape and one around his waist and bent him back in a deep dip for a scorching kiss (it was good, it was so good, even better when Tobirama got his hands back in Madara’s hair again) to the applause and cheers of 800,000 shinobi. (Madara slid his hand from Tobirama’s neck down the length of his lean shape- earning a delightful shiver- and curled a hand around a strong thigh hitching it up around his waist. Oh God. That was even better.) (Hashirama made a pathetic noise- the last sound a dying balloon makes before it dies.)


	5. Chapter 5

Madara made a pleased hum and bit at Tobirama’s jaw before dropping to suck a livid mark high on his neck where even his furs couldn’t cover it up ignoring the decreasing explosions where Naruto was applying Therapy no Jutsu to an increasingly contrite Tobi. However when he felt a bright supernova of chakra bounce up to them he reluctantly drew back with one last suck (the breathy whimpers Tobirama made were hard to give up indeed) and righted them before turning to look at the bright eyed blond and an uncomfortable looking Obito who was fiddling with his swirly mask awkwardly. Tobirama sighed “I want a nap” he muttered, and then slanted a look at Madara “and you’re going to join me.” He added. Madara gave a pleased smirk in response. “Now then, what exactly is going on here?” Tobirama cast a glance over the two boys (the fact that Tobirama was actually slightly younger than Obito when he died seemed to have been missed by basically everyone) and Naruto perked up “Oh! Oh! This is Obito Uchiha! He was on a team with Kakashi but than everyone thought he died and he was saved by Zetsu and Madara-sama and then they helped him get healthy and then he was trying to figure out what to do only he went back to see Kakashi and…. And Kakashi killed Rin (their other teammate) when she was given a defective jinchuriki seal” Tobirama sent Hashirama a dirty look “and then he was sad because he didn’t know what had happened and so he….. wait, what did you do then?” Obito shifted uncomfortably but Madara came to his rescue “He’s a good kid, I’m guessing that Zetsu messed with his head (in retrospect he did that a lot) he was just trying to figure out what to do with his life. Also, he didn’t take Rin’s death well.” Tobirama grimaced, he knew what silliness Uchiha went to when they got upset.

Any farther discussion of Obito’s fate was thrown out the window when Kakashi (who had been distracted with trying to figure out if Hashirama was ok and only just tuned in) spoke in a fearful, hesitant voice “Obito? You’re, you’re alive?” Obito ducked his head and kicked his feet in the dirt “Yeah. Hi Bakashi.” Kakashi made a high-pitched sound and dove at Obito who flinched until it became clear all Kakashi intended to do was wrap around him and hold on like a koala (both arms and legs wrapped around the scared Uchiha) and mutter incoherently “Um. Kashi? What are you doing” Obito asked giving him a uncertain pat on the back “Not letting you go. Works for Madara. Mine now.” And Obito went _bright_ red starting his own incoherent spluttering. Tobirama rolled his eyes are turned away from the pair, clearly they were sorted for now. “What now Naruto?” “Um…… Oh! Tsunade should meet you BAACHAN!” he yelled at Uchiha levels of volume. “Who is Tsunade?” Tobirama asked Madara who blinked at him and then grinned a little “She’s your grandniece.” He said smugly enjoying the way Tobirama’s eyes blew wide “Hashi had kids?” he whispered “Yup. And if I don’t miss my mark all of them have heard of you.” Tobirama stared at him.

Tsunade came storming out of the crowed with a look of deep frustration “WHAT KID?!” she yelled (“She yells like Hashi”) “I was busy healing people in back. What the hell is going on? I keep hearing about some whitehaired shinobi god making out with Mad…ar….a” she trailed off as her eyes took in Tobirama and Madara standing close together. “Um.” She said awkwardly, but before she could ask any more questions Tobirama stomped to her and wrapped her up in a too strong hug “Um…. What’s going on?” She whispered to Naruto who gave her a smile brighter than she had seen in a very long time “This is Tobirama Senju!” he chirped. Tobirama gave her a slight squeeze before letting her down, he kept his hands on her shoulders and looked her over “Hello niece” he said gravely examining her for another moment with red eyes that saw to much “I’m proud of you.” She stared at him. Just….. stared. As it sunk in that Tobirama ( _the_ Tobirama, who Mito had told her so much about) was proud of her, her eyes started to fill with tears and she gave a choked sob; Tobirama gave a gentle smile and carefully pulled her into his arms again rocking her a little as she buried her face in his fur.

Madara shook his head a little; honestly after what he had heard from the Senju children before he left the village, he was totally unsurprised that Tobirama was collecting young people (well “young”) already. He glanced at Naruto who was bouncing on his heels with a huge smile “Well done kid” he told the blond gruffly, which made his smile grow even more (Madara was a little surprised he wasn’t glowing). “So, what do we need to do to start cleaning this mess up?” he asked, Naruto shot him a surprised glance “Well it is partly my fault, seems fair I help with clean up.” “Oh! Well, we should figure out who that was in charge is still around” he raised his hands hesitated and slowly lowered them, “I don’t think I should make shadow clones right now, Touka and Tobirama are pulling on my chakra” he admitted. Madara shrugged and performed the jutsu himself “Tell them who to find. TOUKA” Naruto turned to the clones and started giving instructions as Touka turned away from where she was scolding Hashirama to give him a grumpy look “What.” “We should start clean up, Tobirama wants a nap.” She stared. “Right. Ok. Ending a war because Tobirama wants a nap. That makes sense.” She took her head “Right. Hashi, you go figure out what it going on with the shinobi (besides watching the drama) and makes sure the healers are organized” Hashirama gave a meek nod and snuck a look at his brother though his hair but sulked off to do as he was told.

“You, Uchiha, no not the sick one, not the one with the weird robe belt thing, the other one. The one with the Hatake attached. You good with fire? Yes? Ok go deal with dead Zetsu clones. And take your Hatake with you, don’t bother detaching him, he’s your problem now. Now. Other Uchiha, no not the sick one- you just sit down and don’t cough out your lungs- yes, silly robe belt. Go find a more comfortable place to sit. Naruto, go get the Hyuuga that’s making eyes at you, he might as well be over here as over there. Also, bring me the pink girl, I like her look, she can probably kick people hard enough to make them listen.” Unsurprisingly her orders were followed with alacrity and the people watching scattered. When Naruto brought Sakura over the to females eyed each other before coming to an agreement and starting to get shit organized- after all, Tobirama wanted a nap.

Tsunade pulled away from Tobirama slowly wiping at her eyes, Tobirama gave her another faint smile and touched her cheek but said nothing about it. “Now then, Touka has things started to get cleaned up, we should probably help.” Tsunade nodded and stood up straighter firming her chin just as Naruto darted up Hyuuga in tow. “Sensei, Sensei, what about the tailed beasts?!” Tobirama blinked, “they’re not in their jinchuriki?” he asked. Naruto shook his head emphatically “No, Zetsu put them in the giant tree thing” Tobirama looked at where Naruto was pointing and blinked “Well. That’s ugly.” Madara hummed in agreement walking up behind Tobirama and wrapping his arms around his waist and resting his chin on his shoulder. “It really is. I haven’t a clue what Zetsu was planning to do with it.” Tobirama tipped his head to rest against Madara “Think it will burn?” Madara grinned wolfishly “With the Rinnegan and three other Uchiha with Mangekyō Sharingan it won’t be able to not burn.” “Alight, we’ll pull the tailed beasts out and then you can burn it dear” (Madara squeezed him, that would never get old)

It turns out that with Naruto, a Hyuuga, the Mangekyō Sharingan, the Rinnegan, Kurama, and Tobirama’s mind it wasn’t all that hard to free them. Those that still had jinchuriki returned to them with the promise to get help with their seals when Tobirama finished the new ones. Those that didn’t have any living jinchuriki drifted around (Tobirama had been right, the flow of chakra had changed so much that it was no longer a comfortable place to be with out a jinchuriki but they went into seals hastily (and _carefully_ ) painted on a verity of weapons (the Nabi look distinctly pleased as she settled into Madara’s famous war fan). It would do until something else could be figured out (Tobirama had to redo his list: war clean up, nap- with Madara after hair-, jinchuriki, Naruto’s new seal, paperwork, Hyuuga seal, sick Uchiha, politics, and…. Tobirama was forgetting something….).

Either way with Touka and Tobirama in charge (and Madara glaring people into compliance over Tobirama’s shoulder, he had refused to give up his spot pressed to the younger man’s back) it didn’t take all that long to get clean up well underway and everything delegated after they moved back to the tents the alliance was using as their home base. As soon as it was all set up to Madara’s satisfaction he started pulling Tobirama away only for the albino to protest that he was still needed to help with the cleanup- so Madara dragged him into another kiss (honestly, if Tobirama hadn’t melted into it so quickly Madara would start to think that he didn’t want to be kissed given how much dragging Madara had to do to get what he wanted) and pressing he up against the large table and dragging his fingers along Tobirama’s waist to brush skin under the blue armor. (Hashirama, who had just walked in after making sure the battlefield was clear, gave a wail akin to the sound a child makes as they are towed to the bath. Everyone else in the tent was either just ignoring it or watching avidly- so pretty….) It had the intended effect and Madara tugged a compliant Tobirama out of that tent and into the one they had been given to retire to (Tsunade had laughed herself silly when she heard they were they were trying to be quick so that her Uncle could take a nap) and pushed him down on the bed draping himself over the slighter man as soon as he was divested of armor. This had the advantage of pining Tobirama to the bed when he began to fuss a little about getting things done and being helpful “No. shhhhh. Nap now, fix things later, everyone knows you want nap.” Madara said grumpily. Tobirama gave up with a sigh and settled into the bed wrapping his arms around the Uchiha and running fingers through his hair “I wanted to brush your hair” he said sadly. “Later, not going anywhere.” Tobirama stilled, swallowed and pressed his face into the soft dark hair “Ok. Ok. Sleep dear.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Might be on the short side but.... I have too many WIPs right now

Waking up was something Tobirama did with great disgruntlement. He had never been the happiest to wake up but normally did it without too much trouble, but right now he couldn’t sense anything worrying anywhere nearby and he was very comfortable (Tobirama had always found pressure comforting and right now something very heavy was compressing his chest in the most wonderful way, it made him feel like he was going to sink though the bed and squished all his normal anxious energy out of him. It was delicious. And warm. And fluffy. And perfect.) and he had no intention of moving for anything. Wait. That was Madara, that chakra was unmistakable, on top of him. That meant if he woke up he might get kisses (and more?) or-! Wait! He got to brush Madara’s hair! He was very awake now. Madara was still asleep on Tobirama’s chest (maybe he thought Tobirama was as wonderfully comfortable as Tobirama found him?) his head tucked over the albino’s shoulder and breathing lightly on his neck. Which. Which felt very nice indeed. (…. Good to know Edo Tensei didn’t effect hat part of his anatomy. He hadn’t noticed yesterday with all the commotion- and the fact that he could hardly believe Madara wanted to kiss _him-_ thought in retrospect the dip kiss and thigh hitching thing should have given him that info sooner) Tobirama shifted slowly, one hand was currently resting on Madara’s back under his shirt and the other was buried in his wonderful hair (it was so soft!) so Tobirama very much approved of his sleeping self’s priorities. But. But if he could get away with shifting the hand on his back a little lower… Well. Tobirama couldn’t exactly have missed the fact that Madara had a spectacular ass, even Touka agreed with that. (And his armor set it off so very well.)

Tobirama blew out a hard breath about the time his hand steeled over firm muscle (wow Edo Tensei _really_ hadn’t affected function. If anything it was better now than before his death- though in all honesty the only person Tobirama had ever looked at like that was Madara. His chakra was just….. well. Tobirama wasn’t unconvinced he couldn’t, um, take care of matters just from the feel of all that magnificent chakra focused on him alone) so that may have not been the best idea ever. Now he was developing a real problem and he _still_ wasn’t sure what Madara wanted really. (but he had said he wasn’t going anywhere and he was here with Tobirama not with Hashi where he could sense his brother to the west, so maybe….) A sudden flare of Madara’s chakra as he woke had Tobirama gasping, unable to keep from arching a little and tightening his hands (that ass was definitely every bit as good as it looked, he would have to tell Touka) which sent Madara’s chakra flaring again as the Uchiha moaned against Tobirama’s neck. “Tobirama” Madara panted in a deep voice raspy with sleep. Predictably that _also_ made Tobirama whimper in response.

Madara snarled and bit at the lovely skin under his mouth (and yes, the texture was a bit odd but Madara was so far from caring it didn’t even register except as being part of the reason he had Tobirama back and underneath him, underneath him gasping) and fought to catch up with the sudden onslaught of sensation, Tobirama’s _hands_ \- Madara shifted his arms sliding one farther under the albino’s shoulder and shoving the other down until he could get it under Tobirama’s shirt and get at more of that perfect skin. The hand in his hair tightened until Tobirama could drag Madara’s face up for a kiss (ha, now he was doing the dragging, that was a good sign) and lick into him though he quickly seemed to lose control and panted into Madara’s mouth as the older man licked at his lips (teeth, tongue, anything) looking dazed (it took Madara a second to figure it out) and making an utterly pathetic sound when Madara flared his chakra loosing control entirely and surrendering to Madara (wow. It was even better like this. Knowing that he had reduced such a smart, powerful, focused, reserved man into a puddle of mush for Madara could do what he wanted with. ……if he had figured this out sooner he never would have wanted more power than this.) to do as he wished except for breathy gasping and small pushes of his hips against Madara. Eternal flame it wasn’t going to take much for either of them. Except-

There was loud slam near by and Madara swore against Tobirama’s mouth. As much as he would love to ignore it he knew Tobirama would never forgive himself if he just ignored it when he was needed; Damn it, swearing in frustration Madara pulled his chakra back and eased up on his assault of Tobirama’s body trying to ease the other man out of his arousal. (Madara could think of few things he wanted to do less but it was more important that Tobirama be happier and not beating himself up- which he would) so by the time Naruto knocked on the post outside of the tent and spoke hesitantly they were both refocused if still a little dazed. “um. um. i think maybe you should come to the main tent? maybe? only. um. so. someone may have convinced me something was a good idea. and. um. you should probably have a look at it….” Tobirama swore and slammed a hand over his face (the ass hand not the hair hand, it sucked to loose hold of the ass but that _hair_. And yes. He totally had a _thing_ for Madara’s hair. He had to admit it now) “Fuck. What’s the chance he rose your brother from the dead?” Tobirama asked sardonically. Madara snarled into his neck. “Fucking fine. But you and me? We are doing this again. Properly. _Soon_.” The albino went a very fetching shade of red and Madara wanted to curse the whole world. Instead he peeled himself off of the younger man (he had slept better than he had in _decades_ ) and grumbled as he tugged at his hair “I guess we better hurry, who knows how they have managed to end the world this time.” “No” said Tobirama firmly “We aren’t going anywhere until I get to brush your hair.” Madara took one look at the look on Tobirama’s face and flushed (he could feel ghostly fingers on his neck) he wouldn’t admit it on pain of torture (…… though if Tobirama pouted at him like that he was unlikely to stay strong) but that was definitely a cherished fantasy “ah. Er. Yes. That. Um. yes” Tobirama grinned (of gods of flame, if Madara had been standing that would have put him on the floor- his eyes went all squinty-!) and brandished a brush. (....where had he gotten that? there was no way he had been carrying it since before he died.... right?)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short but it was the perfect place to end the chapter

Tobirama stared at the scene in front of him. No. Just no. In fact, _fuck no_. he was going back to bed. And taking Madara with him. This could just…… fucking sort itself out its own. (and you can stop laughing now Touka. The floor is dirty, rolling on it will fuck up your hair.)

He had almost made it to the door of the tent (towing a shocked Madara by the fingers as he did it) when there was a sharp funny sound (squeaky shoe on hospital floor Tobirama noted absently) behind them and he was bowled over by a heavy weight hitting his back (somehow he ended up with his face in Madara’s hair though so it could be worse). He sighed. Deeply. “I was joking.” He told the world at large (Touka we do not appreciate you laughing harder at that) “I didn’t actually want this.” (“Is he mad?” a sad sounding Naruto asked a hopeful Hashirama) Tobirama tucked his face farther against Madara, “Can we go back to bed?” ok, so Madara was still stunned silent. Fuck. “Whose fault is this? No wait. Why did you think this was a good idea Hashi?” before his _idiotic_ brother could respond there was another noise from the weight on his back (hedgehog running into a wall). Damn it. “Get the fuck off of me Izuna.”

Izuna scrambled off him- only kneed him in the back once (so, score?)- and Tobirama dragged himself up refusing to turn around again, he hauled his shock-y looking lover(!) up after him (all his hard work on that lovely hair…… oh. Wait. Now he got to do it again. Huh. That was almost worth the dramatics that would kick up in about two minutes), what in the world could be making Madara look like _that_ at the brother he loved was beyond Tobirama but with any luck someone would explain soon (not Touka. Not when she kept _giggling_ ). Shit. He would have to turn around soon. He looked at Naruto who was looking very sad (god that was pathetic, he looked like he though Tobirama wasn’t going to talk to him anymore…… if he thought that because of past experiences Tobirama was going to _cut_ someone) and said “Its fine. Or, it will be. I don’t blame you. This one is on Hashirama.” (“oooooooo full name! Someone’s in trouble!” fucking Touka) Hashirama perked up looking stupidly hopeful “Now everyone can make up and be happy!!” he cheered hands clasped under his chin and stars in his eyes. Tobirama looked at him.

Tobirama turned and wrenched Madara into a blistering kiss (well that worked to knocked him out of his shock, good to know. Also, Madara was paying attention to him with both Hashirama _and_ Izuna in the same room!!) that may or may not have spiraled out of decency about the time Madara shoved a hand up Tobirama’s shirt and he clawed at the older man’s hair. He only sort of noticed when it had the intended effect (stuck cartwheel) until Touka dropped a small suution on them. Tobirama reluctantly pulled back and shot her a dirty look as he lifted the water from the and dispersed it into the air. (Madara made a worshipful noise and Noruto’s eyes got huge as the easy manipulation without any hand signs) “Fine.” He grumped. “What do you want Izuna?” Izuna stared at them (Madara still had his arms wrapped around Tobirama, who was fairly sure he would never get used to that) looking worrying like Hashirama- if his hands came up under his chin at all Tobirama was _out_ of here- which meant he looked freakishly happy. Tobirama had expected more threats and fire and yelling if he found out Madara was touching him, possibly some extremely hurtful words ( _freak_ ) definitely some raging (and if he had sort of thought that Madara wouldn’t want to touch him where his brother could see, well, he didn’t need to tell Madara that.) (Madara had developed a seventh sense for when Tobirama was going back to that horrible self-doubt and pressed a kiss to his throat. He totally knew) not what looked uncomfortable like delight.

Madara shifted closer “He’s mine. Touch him and die. Again.” (he was fairly sure Izuna knew that, but Tobirama didn’t) and Izuna burst into noisy tears (ok, Madara hadn’t quite expected that) blubbering incoherently about something about being so _happy_ and they were together now and Madara wasn’t halfway to bugfuck nuts and- Tobirama cleared his throat. “Touka, a little cognitive recalibration please?” Touka grinned like a shark and slammed a fist on top of Izuna’s head (“That is Cognitive Recalibration no Jutsu, a Senju clan technique, like Canis no Jutsu, or your Therapy no Jutsu. Touka can show you later, she’s was the best at it in the clan. It is good to apply to head off dramatics, though if they are built as hard head as Hashi- I mean that literally, I think it’s a Mokuton thing- it has little effect.” Tobirama told Naruto) Izuna staggered, blinked, and swallowed. “Are you ready to act like a sane person? Because I was doing something when I got interrupted and I would like to go back to that.” (Madara grinned lasciviously, “Doing _someone_ ” Tobirama flushed just a tiny bit and pressed a little harder into Madara)

Izuna licked his lips. “I. I want to say I’m sorry.” He said and bent in a little bow- the entire tent went utterly still. Tobirama sent a confused look around “You don’t have anything- oh stand up- to apologize for.” Madara squawked and everyone else stared at him incredulous (well, Naruto had no idea what was going on but everyone else thought this was dramatic and he had spent enough time with Sasuke to know that an Uchiha denied their dramatics would sulk for days) “you- he- i- what-“ Madara spluttered (Izuna added in his two cents, well, one cent, half a cent, “i- you- brother-“) “He killed you” Hashirama said soberly “He killed you as you were healing him” (ok, fuck, ouch. Naruto was on board with the incredulous thing now) “Well yes. But he did think of me as an enemy at the time.” Tobirama pointed out in what he probably thought was a reasonable tone of voice (that…. Didn’t help matters. If Tobirama-sensei didn’t think there was anything wrong with that then Naruto was going to _cut_ whoever made him think that way. Hmm Hashirama….) “I’m aware you find me freakish.” He added. The tent descend into chaos.

(Touka was screaming at Hashirama and Izuna equally, Hashirama had started weeping- again- Izuna sunk to the ground looking very, very, sad, Naruto was yelling random thing at the walls- he _was_ very mad but mostly yelling things seemed the appropriate way to add to the chaos. Naruto wanted to help) Madara spun a confused Tobirama around looking at him with dark eyes “He thinks what about you?” “well… I mean. He’s not wrong.” Madara went white with rage. His Rinnegan began spinning eerily “You are never, ever, to say anything like that about yourself again. I’m fucking serious. That’s not ok and its not true. You are amazing and a treasure. And when we go to the pure lands we will go together if I have to fight every god in existence.” He caressed one red streaked cheekbone “I am _never leaving you alone._ ” Tobirama shook like a leaf and collapsed into Madara pressing himself as close as he could “ _I love you”_ Madara whispered to him “there is no part of you I find anything other than miraculous.” Tobirama twined as close as he could. “ _I love you too”_


	8. Chapter 8

It was difficult to pull himself away from Madara but honestly it would be even worse if he let the chaos grow farther; Touka was already beginning to spit small flames and in his experience command tents were very flammable. He grumbled and pressed a little closer to the Uchiha before reluctantly standing straight (good to know that that Edo Tensei _did_ screw up tear-ducts, which made sense, Touka dumping water on them had made he aware the whole ‘mud’ thing was definitely a concern. He had gotten the later removed quickly enough but still. …….Though… if he wanted Izuna to stay in one place he could just drench him from the waist down, probably hard to walk like that. Huh. If reverted completely into mud would they just be mouthy puddles? Maybe it was good Izuna was here, there were so may experiment to run now….) “Ok” said Madara “That expression worries me. Izuna calls it your ‘run from the zombie!rabbits’ expression.” Tobirama sent him an offended expression “The Rabbits were a perfectly good experiment. They were quite successful the on problem was-“ “RABBIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHERE?!?!?!?” Hashirama launched himself across the tent and dove for his brother and did everything he could to climb on his head. “Yes” said Tobirama dryly “This.” Madara gapped. (everyone one gapped, and _damn it Hash!_ Tobirama had been doing such a good job ignoring the _extensive_ audience, _why_ did it have to be a command tent?) The shocked silence would have been a great deal more dramatic if it hadn’t been filled with Hashirama’s fear filled gibbering. “What…… what’s wrong with him?” random ninja asked in a strained whisper (everyone else was fairly sure they didn’t want to know, it was Hashi) and Tobirama sighed “Hashirama. There are no rabbits here. The only zombies here are us. You are being embarrassing.” Hashirama’s wailing slowed “I’m frequently embarrassing” he pointed out in a shockingly reasonable voice. “Yes” Tobirama agreed “You are. Now get off me. I have a List to complete.” Hashirama winced and slunk off his brother with a few distrustful looks at the ground. He knew better than to get between Tobirama and a List.

Tobirama glared around that the occupants of the tent. “Anyone have something to keep me from the List, _again?_ ” the sheer ice and death in his eyes had Madara sagging against a very confused Naruto (he didn’t know what was going on but he loved that he was being included, _him!_ Not a clan kid or anything! Also, he _liked_ these Uchiha, they were dramatic and all- I mean _Uchiha-_ but they also weren’t holding gigantic grudges or vendettas or things) as he went weak kneed at the menace on his lover. _Wow…._ “Alright” said Tobirama in the tone used for giving out battle strategy “Bring me the jinchuriki. Touka rundown on the cleanup, Hashi how are the wounded? Niece, (yes, come over here, yes, everyone is done yelling for now. No there are no new zombies) if we let the other Kage go back to their villages how messed up will they be?” Tsunade shot a gloating look at the other Kage “Honestly Uncle they all need work but if you give us something to work with, we can probably do it ourselves, you don’t have to do everything.” She couldn’t help but preen a little under the approving look Madara shot her at this, “If you deal with the jinchuriki that will help a lot really.” Tobirama nodded “They are top on my list.”

Madara leaned against the table next to Tobirama watching as his badass lover (never getting old to say that) listened to the report coming in and parceled things out to get everything cleaned up. Touka taking up a position on Tobirama’s other side delegating every time he tried to add another thing to his list (“Little brother if you don’t stop trying to give yourself more work I will tell Madara to never let you touch his hair.”) and Madara kissed him into compliance anytime he started to look like he would refuse (“Wow, that’s a hell of a system” “Kakashi come here, your dad was a good kid you must be useful. Oh, fine bring your Uchiha.”) so far it worked pretty well. Hashirama and Izuna ended up roaming around the tent behind the main table looking pathetic and intimidation in turns as they tried to be helpful silently (“Izuna I turned you into a woman once I can do it again. I doubt your balance now would be much better than it was then.”) and Naruto and Tsunade basically stared at Tobirama like he set the stars in the sky (“Why wasn’t _he_ Hokakge?!” “Um. Baa-chan. Dead?”) and then sat forward in his chair firmly when the last of the jinchuriki/ jinchuriki-weapon things were brought in front of him. “Naruto come here please. You seem to know sealing fairly well, do you think this will work for the avatar part?” (“I wish Mito were here. _NO_ Naruto that was not me asking you to bring her back”) Naruto nodded looking a little astonished. “Kurama says that should work too, he says your really smart. Oh. He didn’t want me to say that part….” Tobirama smiled just a tiny bit (the room almost vibrated from the coooing, he was _still_ ignoring the audience) “Thank you Kurama-sama, that is quite the compliment” he said seriously “Now would you like to be the first to try it out?” Naruto took a big breath and nodded before slapping his down on the seal paper.

A flash of light and then Naruto was holding a red nine-tailed fox about the size of a large house cat or the smallest of Tobirama’s leopards (hmmmmm, he had nine-tails would he nom on one the way the leopards did?) who looked a little shocked blinking fierce looking eyes several times. “Are you well Kurama-sama?” the fox nodded slowly “He totally solid!” said Naruto, practically vibrating with excitement. “And I can still feel most of his Chakra in the seal space!” “Good, later I will help you get back the other half of his chakra. Splitting it is just a very bad idea long term.” Kurama nodded firmly to this “Now, do you mind if I try the other adjustments on you two?” both boy and Bijuu nodded. The next hour was filled with Tobirama painting things on Naruto and then poking them or asking him about one thing or another. This had the advantage of thinning out the crowd in the tent as the drama appeared done for now and they _did_ have stuff to get done, ever Hashirama got bored with no one listening to him and went to help out with something so people would pay attention to him. Touka collared Izuna and made him help her and Tsunade beat people into compliance with what ever needed to be done (Izuna took one look at the brigade of _terrifying_ woman Touka had put together and decided to be on his beast behavior- one of them had pink hair and was _tiny_ and he had seen her punt a Suna nin three times her size into a valley wall, he wasn’t fucking up) while staying near enough to keep an ear on Tobirama (she, like Madara, refused to be parted to far from the man they had both lost) and Madara just sat and admired Tobirama in his true element. It was beautiful.

In the end with the help of the Bijuu themselves it came together in a thing of beauty. The new seal (named the Seal of the Freed Gods by a serious Madara) was actually held by the Bijuu and worked a but like a summons contract except instead of the summons realm there was a seal space inside the jinchuriki’s soul to hold all the power of the tailed beast. It allowed them to choose their own jinchuriki the same way summons could do and to manifest smaller avatars of themselves to interact with the world while still maintaining the ability to give their jinchuriki the tailed beast modes if they worked together. When Naruto was given the finalized version of the seal he hid his face in Kurama’s soft fur and tried to pretend he wasn’t crying until a sympathetic Madara drew him into a clove and fire scented hug (it was warm and comforting and everything he had never really had from any male figures in his life, Kakashi wasn’t one for hugs much) as Tobirama gave the other beasts their contract seal “Now I don’t know how long you can comfortably be without a jinchuriki so you should look as soon as you can, the chakra of the world is very different from what it used to be.” There was a soft murmur of agreement and then the bijuu slipped from the tents to enjoy their right to _choose_ who and what they wanted.

Tobirama sighed a little sharing a worried glance with Madara, Kakashi and Tsunade clearly cared a great deal for the boy and he had his Hyuuga and the respect of many (including a friendship with one of the Kage) but none of that was always enough. Tobirama was going to have to look into how Naruto had grown up. “Naruto, come here and I’ll get you that limiter seal.” Naruto sniffed an rubbed at his eyes and nodded and shuffled to Tobirama (Kurama slipped out of his arms with a nod to Madara- bygones could be bygones in this case) who gently coxed him into looking at the albino “Now your chakra coils, they hurt don’t they?” (Kakashi who had been about to burst into the tent froze and grabbed Obito who was behind him to keep him from going in) “It would feel a little like you’ve got barbed wire in your veins? Yeah, that’s what I though. You literally have too much chakra because Kurama was put into you so young as you already had a hug amount of chakra, I’m guessing it’s hard to do precision work isn’t it? like the leaf exercise.” Tobirama frowned darkly at Naruto’s mumbled response and shared a dark look with Madara “No Naruto it’s not that you are stupid, you’re very smart. But if everyone else has a lamp inside of them to light their way and keep them warm and one or two people have a fireplace or a campfire or a candle and everyone does their best with that; you are on fire. Actually on fire. I’m not going to put it out, and I can’t change any of the way you think or how your chakra works, but I can make it stop hurting. The seal matrix of the River Dragon is set up to help smooth out and store chakra properly, we’re making the banks on the river of your chakra taller. Do you want it?” Naruto stared at Tobirama and nodded mutely. (outside Kakashi swore silently and covered his one visible eye. “fuck” he muttered. “that never even occurred to me.”)

By the time Kurama darted into the tent followed by a very concerned Neji Naruto was sitting on the ground looking punch drunk. Neji swallowed “….What did you do to him?” “It just relief from pain” said Tobirama in a too knowing voice “When you have been in pain for as long as you can remember having it go away is a very difficult thing to understand. It makes a mess of the chemicals in your brain as it tries to rewrite your pain centers, he’s going to feel very strange for a while until his brain reconfigures.” Neji nodded and crouched down to get Naruto up- he just gave up and picked him up in the end- and left the tent with him and Kurama trotting at their heels. Madara turned to Tobirama “Why do you know what that feels like?” Tobirama shrugged “Not exactly, but I’m albino, I have _severe_ sun sensitivity. Until I sorted out a jutsu and a kind of oil/lotion I could apply I was in a lot of pain every time I went outside in the day and my father wasn’t particularly understanding. Hashi grew these insane trees to keep the whole compound in shade but they only helped so much.” “Damnit Tobirama. Every time I think I’ve figured out all the ways you’ve been hurt there’s a new one.” Tobirama shrugged seemingly unfazed. “Oh for, just come here, we’re even alone for once-“ Tobirama hummed happily against Madara’s lips letting the older man press him against the table and then up on it- (the sound two squirrels make when they both want the same nut) “ _Damn it Hashi!”_


	9. Chapter 9

It took a little time to remove Hashirama from the tree that sprouted up defensively around him when Madara and Tobirama turned on him (and yeah, that was terrifying, like Madara, but that was sort of old hat at this point for the watching shinobi. They knew Madara was terrifying it was same old same old, but _holy fucking god of thunder and fear_ Tobirama. And yeah. They were all unutterably terrified of Tobirama. ((and the worst part a few whispered to on another was that there was no change to his face, he just narrowed his eyes a little and _then_ *incoherent handwaving and shaking and diving for cover*)) they suddenly understood Izuna a lot more, especially when they saw him hit the floor with them) luckily Madara spent the whole time they were getting Hashirama out drooling over a flattered but clearly confused Tobirama (and Touka- _after_ she found cover- laughed. Even Edo Tensei couldn’t handle laughing cramps apparently and god she had missed Tobirama). Either way by the time they were ready to clear out of the not-a-battlefield it was later than intended and Tobirama was being kept from grumpiness about the mess it made of his plans only by way of Madara’s wandering hands- which were admittedly very successful at distracting everyone, such a pretty picture…..- and the continual yelping of Hashirama every time Madara’s hands wandered.

It was in this mess that Hashirama walked up to Tobirama and Madara where they were _not_ organizing anything on the edges of the disintegrating camp an uncharacteristically sober look on his face. “Little brother. I think its time for me to go.” Tobirama went stiff at these words “I have so, _so,_ much to make up to you that I would need lifetimes to do it. I can’t do it now, and you need to focus on fixing the village” he huffed a sad noise “you gave us the village little brother, we’ve rather made a mess of it.” he reached out for his brother’s hands.

“Tobirama, I never said this enough, but you were one of the very best things in my life and I did wrong by you, no, don’t argue. I did. I have been selfish, self-absorbed, self-centered, spoiled, egotistical, and oblivious to consequences and the only reason those things didn’t get me, and everyone else around me, killed was because of you. I am sure that there is more that I have done than I know and I’m sure that if I stay I will do more. Were we living I would promise to try and learn a new way, but we are dead. And my rest calls me. I wish, I _wish, I wish_ little brother that I could see with clear eyes and marvel at you; by my eyes are cloudy, and I cannot clear the vail of death to see as I should. I’m sorry little brother. So, so, sorry. And I love you. Very much even when I fail you as so often have.” Tobirama swallowed hard “I love you to big brother. You never failed me.” Hashirama smiled a sad bitter smile and said “And the fact that you think I didn’t is my biggest failure of all.” But he leaned forward and kissed Tobirama’s forehead, “Goodbye little brother, I’m proud of you. Let’s do better next time, yeah?” he nodded over Tobirama’s shoulder to Madara and fell to nothing but ash in the breeze.

Tobirama gazed out over the emptying land blankly. Madara leaned more fully into his back and hook his chin over the albino’s shoulder but it was along while before Tobirama said “I didn’t design Edo Tensei to cry.” Madara squeezed him tighter and said nothing about the wetness on his hands where they wrapped around Tobirama.

Eventually someone came to find them; the pretty pink haired kunoichi that had been leading Touka’s pack of minions was sent to find them and gave them a choice look but was good enough to not ask questions about it just beckoning them back to the Konoha possession. When they were almost there though she stopped and looked at Tobirama, “Thank you for what you did for Naruto. I wish I’d realized there was more too it at the time but…. it never occurred to me. So, he was on my team, and, I just, I appreciate it.” she said somewhat lamely. Tobirama shook his head, “Yes, the way children are handled is one of the first things I intend to address. It’s on my List.” She straightened up, “If you need any help. I want to help. I mean, a long time ago Sasuke was on my team too and you’re going to help his brother (silly-robe!Uchiha and sick!Uchiha) so really, anything.” “Be careful, I might take you up on that.” She grinned brightly at them and bounced off (“Madara.” “Hmmmm?” “I don’t think I was ever that young.” “You’re an old soul.” “It’s the hair.”) to help Touka again.

Once everyone was ready the run back to Konoha wasn’t all that long really and they hit the village just before sunup. Grinning like a loon Naruto ran up to them and pulled them after him through the woods (Madara figured out what they were doing and helped pull a vaguely resisting Tobirama along) before Madara carefully put his hands over Tobirama’s eye as they walked out of the woods. “Not yet, not yet,” Naruto was saying when Madara leaned closer an murmured in the pale ear “Decades ago Hashirama and I came up with a wild child’s dream, a dream you spent every year of your life after filling out and making possible without even ever believing it would have a chance. Decades ago I was shown papers on the things I never knew we needed; on taxes, on infrastructure, on the _academy_ , and as I saw the love put in- the dedication and strength to keep planning for an impossibility- I saw a piece of you. And the spark that started on the battlefield took root. This, right here, this is where I first loved you.” “ _NOW!”_ Naruto cheered and Madara lifted his hands and Tobirama Sanju looked out over Konoha for the first time.

And as the light spilled over the trees and streets and hospital and clan compounds- all the little things he had left them and all the big things they had made- as it shone over the village and reached into every crack Tobirama shook and leaned heavily on Madara (who never wanted more than this) and _looked_. Naruto was vibrating with excitement “I know Hashirama- senpai said it’s not as good as it should be, that it it’s got problems, and Madara-sama said that it doesn’t deserve you, but we _try_. And its home.” “Yes” rasped Tobirama “That is the thing about homes, they are rarely what they should be or what you deserve but as long as everyone tries somehow everyone comes out the better for it.” he looked over Konoha “And you are better for it. Things are _better_ than they were even with all the failures. Don’t forget that.” Naruto nodded vigorously looking out and wondering what it looked like to Tobirama-sama, it hadn’t really sunk in until now that when the Senju died it was still the warring clans era; so this peace between different clans must have seemed a dream come true. “We can be better” he said firmly straightening his back and turning back to the pair behind him, the sun catching on his golden hair and haloed him in light as he said, “We will _try_ to be better.” And Tobirama smiled.


	10. Chapter 10

After that showing Tobirama around town became the most important thing and somehow a parade of shinobi was wandering down the streets as they all tried to point out any thing they could to their erstwhile founder (“And this is most youthful!” “That’s a lamp post Lee” “It does showcase how well the infrastructure turned out with electricity” “Not helping Itachi”) and eventually came to a stop at Ichiraku Ramen so Kurama could try it in his avatar form (Tobirama being very doubtful about the brilliance of introducing broth to Edo Tensei- Madara was making plans to fix the fluid problem. He had intentions on Tobirama that _definitely_ included fluids). Which luckily the Bijuu liked, well, “luckily” he could inhale it like Naruto and could pay for even less of it. (Which. After paperwork- finances. Though Tobirama was coming up with A Plan for a few of his List items) but as a war had been averted old man Ichiraku seemed to be in a giving mood and let Naruto- and Kurama- eat until Tobirama collared him once it became clear he wouldn’t stop on his own and dragged him to the Tower to _sleep damnit._ He might be dead and not need it but baby jinchuriki _did_ need it; Tobirama would like it but he needed to rewrite the guild lines for handling paperwork and work on a Hokage handbook. Madara looked at him sighed and sat down to help with a sigh (Madara _wanted_ to take Tobirama to bed but he knew that until he got somethings done Tobirama wouldn’t be able to settle down, and what Tobirama wanted mattered to _Madara_ even if nobody else would listen), he could write down all the silly mistakes he had seen over the years- and he had seen _many_ over the years- to help with the Idiots Handbook for Hokage.

Somewhat to Madara’s surprise it was quite nice to sit in the quiet tower and lean on his lover as they worked at the large Hokage’s desk to sort out the utter _mess_ that was the administration. It was going to take long time. Well, long time in Tobirama time was a bit different from normal people time so what was a long time with him working on a project wouldn’t be too bad by normal people standards really. Especially not when he got to the point that he could start delegating. By the time the sun came put they had made a good dent in the paperwork/administrative problem and Tobirama had a list of thing for the next people in charge to take care of (“I refuse to do all of it” “Just most of it. ow, ow stop”) and Madara had put quite of bit into the Handbook with Tobirama reading over his shoulder as he went (Madara felt very smug when he managed to slip a few things by without the albino noticing, like the sacrifice of one mean goat at the base of the Nara compound every year on the first new moon. It was too bad he wouldn’t be around to see how long they did that before someone thought to question it; Tsunade and Naruto would probably do it just because they could.) so they should have that dealt with within a few nights. Which was very good, Naruto was beginning to look strained from supporting three Edo Tensei for so long and they didn’t want to hurt the kid.

With the sun came the presence of other shinobi and Tobirama’s attention turning to other maters on his List ( ~~war clean up,~~ ~~nap- with Madara after hair-, jinchuriki, Naruto’s new sea~~ l, paperwork- in progress, Hyuuga seal, sick Uchiha, politics- Touka was going to do with Tsunade, look over academy, and orphans. Also, council of elders.) and he looked first turned to the council of elders. They would be instrumental in the progress of the village and if they were holding is back they had to go, also, why were there so many civilians on the main council? They were a _shinobi_ village, if the civilian couldn’t deal they could leave. Sakura was sent to terrify the various councils into compliance with the call to the towner and round up anyone else that looked useful (she elected to take ObitoKaksahi with her as back up. They were a rather unnerving pair as Kakashi had refused to be parted from Obito so far and still spent as much time as humanly possible bodily wrapped around him, so they looked like a very strange two headed creature with legs for arms. Very creepy. And strange.) so Tobirama set up shop in the largest of the conference rooms and sent for the creepiest shinobi they could find to perch in the windows- no, none of that ANBU shit, why was that even a thing?- placing Tsunade in the center with Naruto on one side of her and himself on the other (Madara of course took up place next to him).

When the council was chivied into the room it was with deep distaste and complaints already on their lips. Tobirama took one look at them and- “No.” Tsunade blinked at him “What?” “No.” said Tobirama gain firmly. “You are all fired. All of you. Now go away.” He ignored the shocked silence and turned to Tsunade and Naruto “Tsunade, pick out three shinobi of different ranks you like and a head of each major institution- except the academy, I’ll do that- Naruto, which civilians were the least awful to you as a child? Anko, go get the people Naruto chooses. Asuma go find your mother- we need a Senju. Genma, go get who Tsunade sends for.” Shocked silence greeted this series of commands. Tobirama raised an unimpressed eyebrow “Well?” and then there was a flurry of movement. Tsunade started rattling off names to Genma and by the time the room cleared she sat back and just _looked_ at Tobirama “That’s all it took? Just ‘no’?” Tobirama shrugged, unconcerned. “You are going to have a vic-Hokage now as well, it’s too much work for one person. They will be a little below you so that you have final say, but will be in control of at least three of the five major institutions (hospital, Academy, T&I, R&D, police, and the Jounin corps) though which three is at your discretion. Your council will be comprised of two sections; clan and village. In the village there will be the head of the major institutions, three civilian representatives (all of which shall be voted in by open vote) and at least one ambassador of each rank.”

And it turned out that for Tobirama it really was that easy. Madara laughed himself silly under the table and Touka sat in the corner smirking as her little brother forced a complete restructuring of the village leadership by simply being him and never for a second considering that anyone would disagree (not that anyone that mattered did, they were all just extremely relived to have a more functioning system in place that lift the load on the Hokage a little) so by the end of the day the entirety of Konoha was up and running by a group of people that actually wanted to work together- mostly- and didn’t mind being bossed around by a zombie (the look on Ichiraku’s face when he was told he was on the village council now was _hysterical_ ). And the only thing Tobirama had left on his Today List was the Hyuuga clan silliness. For that Tobirama called in Neji (and therefore Naruto at both boy’s insistence) and Hinata, both smart kids and one from both branches of the clan. It was…. Rough. Oh Tobirama had heard about the Hyuuga seal, it hadn’t been the secret then that it was now, but he had always assumed that the rule laid out in the clan charter every clan was bound to abide by if they wished to not be expulsed from Konoha by the seals matrix laid out in his blue prints to be engraved in the walls of the village would prevent this sort of thing and he couldn’t understand what had happened.

It was Biwako who gave him the answer- there was no such thing as a clan charter. And while Madara assured him that all the seals had been laid (even though no one had known what they were for, which was so silly it hurt) they didn’t mean anything if the charter wasn’t agreed upon and signed. (the fact that the seals had been laid and no one had thought to wonder _why_ and what they were for was indicative of the kind of rampant miscommunication that apparently filled the founding of the village when none of them could quite bring themselves to talk openly to each other after his death- it _still_ blew his mind that he had had such a major impact on so many lives, that people had cared so much) So someone had to be sent off to find the charter (Madara insisted that Tobirama didn’t need to rewrite it himself) and Tobirama and Madara retired to the Hokage’s office to work on the paperwork for another night. (Madara was a little frustrated with doing so much of this at this point but he wasn’t going to make Tobirama choose, so paperwork it was.)

The morning brought with it an extremely dusty Hinata carrying a stack of paper yellowed with age with all the reverence normally given to the Daimyo’s vestments. She looked at Tobirama with eyes bright with tears and fierce with determination. “Yes.” She said in a voice like stone “The Hyuuga will sign it.” Tobirama blinked at her a little shocked, he had expected more of a fight, and Hinata tipped up her chin and said with deep conviction “I have taken the headship of the clan from my father and as the new head it is my honor to be the first of Konoha’s clans to sign the Charter of Clans.” Her lips quivered a little though her gaze remained steady “I will not condone slavery in my clan, not ever. My father……. My father believed that the path of our family was the old one but I think differently. Neji will stand next to me as the second clan head and” she dragged in a deep breath and bowed to Tobirama “Tobirama-sama, I would ask a boon of you: free my people as you once intended to see done.” Tobirama smiled and stepped forward gently raising her up too look him in the eyes “Of course Hyuuga-sama” he said with all the gravity due any clan head.

(He wished he had seen it, beautiful delicate Hinata standing before her father with Neji at her back and telling hm “no”. In truth it was even better than he knew; he couldn’t see the way she shook to stand before the man who had always said she was not enough, he couldn’t know the strength that it took to look the family that had said she meant nothing and tell them _she_ was going to lead them. He couldn’t possibly see the way Neij’s hand at her back steadied her, how the boy- young man- that had once thought so little of her stood with her and refused to be swayed. But he did know that the proud young woman he saw in front of him was one he could leave the village he loved too and it eased the fear in his throat he wouldn’t admit too.)

Removing the seal was the work of a morning and after signing the charter almost anticlimactic. Within hours Neji was free and the knowledge of how to do it was in the hands of anyone that wanted to know it- though it had to be done at the hospital- and Hinata really was crying then. Crying as her _brother_ shook in Naruto’s arms as he tried to understand that he was _free_ now. It wouldn’t be easy she knew she didn’t want to see any of her family and their anger (disappointment), but it was worth it for this moment; the moment when she saw the sun come up in Neij’s eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

Tobirama and Madara left them to their pain and joy for another person in need of freeing from a terrible fate. The Uchiha compound was empty and cold when they arrived and the bitterness in Madara’s eye made the Senju reach for him the second they set foot in the traditional gates (Madara hadn’t been here for the Massacre, and it hadn’t quite killed off every Uchiha, there were a few who had taken up exile rather than return to Konoha and the place of their dead kin- he had met a few of them, and had liked tired looking Shisui the best of them- none of them knowing of the fate of the youngest survivor- Shisui at least would have come back for him). Izuna waited for them at the door to the clan heads house a pinched look on his face and tiredness in his eyes. Neither of them had seen his since they got to Konoha him having gone straight to the clan compound with Sasuke and Itachi who badly needed someone to keep an eye on them. “How are they?” Madara asked gruffly (Tobirama would have to try to sort that out soon, it wasn’t right for them to be so angry with one another) Izuna shrugged “Tired, confused, angry, hurting, how do you expect them to be? Neither of them expected to survive to see the consequence of their actions come into fruition.” There was something aching and bitter in Izuna’s voice, something knowing. He shook his head and shoved off of the door post “It’s a hard thing to be the center of the story of your life and feel you are the center of a conflict and turn around and realize no one was looking- or at least they aren’t looking anymore.” Madara’s mouth tightened “The world moved on and they didn’t even notice” he said harshly.

Sasuke and Itachi were stilling around a low traditional table in the front room and Sasuke had clearly heard that remark if the anger on his face was anything to go by; he started to stand and his brother caught his arm and shook his head. “What do you want with us Uchiha-sama?” he asked in his rough voice. Madara snorted “I’m not your clan head kid. You don’t get to ask me to make decisions for you.” Sasuke couldn’t be held back any more “You accuse us of not moving on! You were the one who tried to destroy Konoha because of some nobody who died before you even knew his _name_!” he yelled and Tobirama could no more have stopped his flinch than he could have stopped breathing. Madara saw it and his handsome face contorted with hot rage; Sasuke didn’t even have a chance to realize Madara was moving before the older man backhanded him into a wall. “Madara” said his lover softly, touching his shoulder; Madara snarled but let himself be pulled back. Not that it mattered. Izuna was standing over a dizzy looking Sasuke and hauled him up by his shirt “The _nobody_ is the only reason you are here instead of in a child’s grave when the clan wars killed you too. That _nobody_ is the only reason you- both of you- were coddled and spoiled into think yourselves so above every one else.”

Izuna dropped him in disgust and turned to both living brothers “I _know_ what it is like to be you; to think that the whole world revolves around your heartbreak, to think that you are the most powerful person in the room because of your _eyes_ , to believe that no one else knows how to love the way an Uchiha does just because they don’t let it break them. You. Are. Wrong. You are not _special_ you don’t get to make excuses for your bad behavior and pretend no one else knows your pain, or your fear, to act like any one not like you it a _freak_ ” (Tobirama flinched again a little) “and that to be different from you is to somehow be less. You. Are. Not. better. My _brother_ never once pretended to be something he wasn’t. He loved like and Uchiha and as her as I can tell without the plant-goo-thing he would have died the death of a heartbroken Uchiha; fully aware of his own faults and willing to take responsibility for them. I don’t see any one you trying to fix the village you tried to ruin? And for what? Revenge? That is not what kills Uchiha. Love is.” He took a deep shuddering breath and said more quietly. “I’ve been you. And I fucking regretted it. Itachi you can’t choose other people’s fate for them, that’s not how life works, it’s not a toy. And you have a chance I never did Sasuke, everyone that you wronged the that matters is still alive. Don’t fuck this up.”

The brothers couldn’t look at him- or each other. Itachi examined his fingers where he was twisting them together and after a long moment looked up “I’ve been thinking about what you’ve said the last few days. About, about making something better from what we have left. Well there is this giant compound and I- I never really wanted to be a fighter for all that I was good at it. I want. I want to use this place as an orphanage for shinobi kids. It’s hard for them to be in civilian orphanages but they can’t afford their own places, and they shouldn’t have to. I want any non clan shinobi to have a place to call home with a, well, a clan of their own.” Izuna smiled the anger gentling and Madara stepped forward with a squeeze to Tobirama’s hand. “You know you’re not alone. There are other Uchiha’s out there, not many but a few.” Itachi’s eyes went huge “Shisui mentioned you a few times.” “Shisui is _alive!_ ” Itachi whispered, sounding gutted. Madara nodded and Itachi, Itachi folded, pressing his head to his hands though nothing could hide his shaking shoulders. Sasuke exploded up from the table and stormed out of the room. Izuna shook his head “I hope he gets his shit together.” He muttered.

Izuna leaned on the wall watching Tobirama run glowing green hands over Itachi and ask him questions in a soft voice the only indication of his focus the small wrinkle in between his pale eyebrows. They had been at it for some time and even Izuna could see it was making a difference as Itachi drew in deeper breaths. “Did you mean it?” Izuna glanced at his brother as Madara moved to lean against the wall next to him “Mean what?” Madara sent him a reproving look. “That you regretted it?” Izuna laughed painfully “Yeah. Yeah, I fucking regret it. I was such a self absorbed fool.” He rubbed at his stinging eyes, through the film of tears it was even harder then normal to look at green chakra and not see that same face above him eyebrows set in the same careful frown even as Izuna’s sword went though him. “If I had been willing to look past my assumptions for even a moment…. He’s a _good_ man. We lost so much. And. and I lost you. So, yes, yes big brother, I regret it.” he turned away from Tobirama and looked at Madara. And for the first time since that battlefield so long ago, Madara was looking back. It made Izuna shake to see his brother meeting his eyes for the first time since that day; and while there wasn’t exactly forgiveness there (and Izuna knew there never would be), there was something like peace. Madara sighed and reached out gently ruffling his brother’s dark hair “Ok.” (neither man saw warm red eyes looking at them with relief.)


	12. the scent of wild roses

The walk back to the tower after sunset was a quiet one, Tobirama linked their fingers together (Madara was deeply relieved to see him do so with more confidence every time) and leaned slightly on the Uchiha as they walked “You know, without Hashi the sheer volume of absurdity has gone down by a substantial amount.” He said dryly. Madara smiled a little “That’s surprising?” and Tobirama huffed out a small laugh, ducking his head. But his smile faded quickly to something sad “Or maybe this is just what it feels like to die the right way; gentle and slow, like the last song at night.” Madara swallowed hard “Don’t say that” he whispered. “It’s true. I’m dead. Not matter how good the Edo Tensei is it’s still a jutsu, I won’t ask Naruto to keep it going forever. And anyway, this” Tobirama waved a pale hand at the village around them “this is amazing, and I am so grateful I got to see it. But, Madara, this isn’t my place anymore. My time is done; this world belongs to others now. I will give them everything I can, but I must entrust it to them.” Madara stilled and turned Tobirama to look at him, brushing back the white hair that looked so strange without the happuri for all that Naruto wore it well. “And I already told you love, when we go to the Pure Lands we will go together. No, hush love, this is no more my world than it is yours. Let me choose you, it is what I have chosen every time since I was allowed to know you and it is what I will choose every time for the rest of forever. _Let me choose you_.” Tobirama looked at him for a long-suspended moment, and then smiled like the first stars at night and leaned in to kiss Madara. “Take me to bed, the paperwork will wait.”

Madara didn’t need to be told twice (he had after all been waiting to do this for a _very_ long time) and swept Tobirama to the bedroom they had been given in the tower (technically it was for Hokage’s use on long work nights, but they had been given use of it) tumbling down on the sheets in a spill of black and white as Madara pulled him into a drugging kiss. That was all it took (going from having functionally no libido to _Madara_ was quite the change) before Tobirama was climbing in the older man’s lap and yanking at his shirt desperately. As soon as the shirt was gone he got his hands up into that hair (mmmmm, lovely, lovely hair) and wrapped it up around his fists- oh _wow_ that noise was _electric_ \- and Madara pawed franticly at his waistband “Tobi-slow-pants-ah!-ohgod-sto-oh fo-“ Madara’s attempts to get Tobirama to stop biting at his neck and tugging at his hair (Madara had never had lover so fascinated with his hair, it was a _revelation_ ) for time to get pants _off_ were getting him nowhere, he could- wait no- pants- desperately Madara flared his chakra and the response was _mind blowing_ (he had almost forgotten about that, _how_ had he almost forgotten that) as Tobirama went still but for faint shuddering. Quickly Madara got them both to their feet, reluctantly releasing his chakra “Tobira, pants, love, _off_ ” it took a few second for Tobirama’s brain to come back online and he scrambled to deal with them. Madara’s brain stalled, the albino all but _glowed_ in the dark room “want to lick every inch of you” He said dazedly. “Good thing I fixed the Edo Tensei then” Tobirama gasped and pounced. (Madara got his wish. Tobirama got his, once he got his hands in that fluffy hair again, he didn’t let go all night.)

When they dragged themselves out of bed and into clean clothes and reluctantly to the Hokage’s office they found it unexpectedly crowded. Tsunade was at the desk with Obit!Kakashi behind her and Anko on one side, (Sakura slipped out of the room to go find food for Madara, he shot her a grateful look as she left) Naruto was standing ringing his hand with a worried look on his face, next to a shinobi Tobirama didn’t know with a scar across his nose with a stormy look, Touka, Izuna, and a strange man in a bright green suit (the shade of which actually rocked Tobirama back on his heels, he had seen him before, but the green had been dulled by dirt and blood at the time) were all looking varying shades of worried and or mad. In the center was Rock Lee looking surprisingly subdued “…..What’s going on?” asked Tobirama with a sinking feeling he didn’t want to know. Touka took one look at him and said loudly “Nope. Nope. Fuck no. I’m not going to be here for this.” She shoved off the wall and stomped over to Naruto who yelped when she grabbed his arm “Little-Niece, stick to what we talked about and politics will be fine. Blondie, you’re a good kid. Anko, killing it. Izuna…… you’re not that bad.” Izuna jumped and proved he did know Touka fairly well when he lit up at that. “Tobi, little brother. You’re the best part of my life and damned if you’re not the best part of my death. Love you kiddo, give them hell. Madara, have lots of sex. The rest of you? I’m getting out of the blast radius.” And she swept a finger down the seal mark on Naruto’s arm where the Edo Tensei was tied to him and exploded into dust.

Tobirama looked around as the dust settled “What exactly does Touka think I’m going to lose my temper over?” he asked in a very even tone of voice (Izuna inched over behind Madara- who was, predictably, looking increasingly besotted). “It’s not a big deal!” said Lee, trying to sound more upbeat then he clearly felt. “ _What’s_ not a big deal?” deadly calm now. Naruto swallowed “It’s not a big deal! Its just, we lived in the same block of apartments and, well, they got squished and they weren’t in a nice part of town so nobody’s fixed them or anything, and I’ve been staying with Neji so I didn’t realize (that’s why I’m wearing his clothes) but my stuff probably got trashed so its not a big deal, but Lee-“ Tobirama held up a hand to stop him. “You and Lee live in an apartment block in a bad part of town and no one has bothered to help you see if anything you own is salvageable. That is what you are saying?” “Um. yes?” “And how long have you lived there?” “Um. since I was three, I think? Lee was six I think? When he started the academy. But like, we got a stipend!”

Tobirama folded his arms and tilted his head back “You lived in an apartment in the bad part of town since you were a _child_ and you had a _stipend_ so that’s _fine?_ ” “Yup!” said Naruto, clearly cheering up now that it was clear. It wasn’t clear. (It was, Madara thought, like the second before lightning strikes; all the hair on his body was standing up, he could feel a deep pressure in his bones, and the sense of almost unleashed power was heavy in his tongue. It was hard to swallow with wanting.) “ **You lived. As a child. Alone. With no help. And a _stipend_. In a bad part of town. And this happens. _Frequently._** ” Tobirama opened eyes like portals to hell and lifted one finger off his arm. “ **If you are over 18, _RUN_.**” (Madara pressed a hand to his pants, oh _lord_ )

Tobirama had beat _every_ shinobi in the village over 18 into the ground and terrified the civilians (seeing Tobirama- black Edo Tensei eyes and sheer fury in every line of him- coming down on them would become a literal nightmare. “ **You thought it ok to treat a _child_ like that, to ostracize them, for nothing? For fear? You don’t know fear. _I will show you fear_.**”) and was _still unspeakably_ incensed. But there was nothing he could do; he had made his opinion _very_ clear, Lee would go with Anko and Asuma tonight, and Itachi was going to do something (was already out collecting orphans with Izuna- who had wanted desperately to get away from Tobirama- to get them to the compound) and there was no one left to _make pay._ But he was _burning_ with fury. He took a shuddering breath turned to Madara who was following him around with a dazed, helplessly aroused look and hauled him into a biting kiss. “ _Bed_ ” he snarled- it was one way to work it out- and Madara moaned. Tobirama reached for the Hiraishin marker he had left there and cleared the fuck out.

No one saw either of them until the next day and when they did Madara had a stupid, fucked out look on his face and livid love bites all over his neck (Tobirama had robe burns on his hands from holding hair to tightly and a sleepy satiated look) and both looked much, much calmer. Even so it became clear the moment that they both commandeered the Hokage’s office (Tsunade was still to cowed- and bruised- to have _any_ interest in arguing), hooked Naruto and Lee and slammed the door that neither of them was best pleased. Before long Anko was ushered in and then Kakashi- without Obito for once, Obito had had a clan even if they hadn’t been a great one too him- before being sent out an returning though the day with shinobi and academy students to take into the office before they were spit out again looking shell shocked and teary (“-and then he said that I shouldn’t have had to do that and that it was really impressive I know how to read and I thought I was stupid-“ “-said I’m going to live in the Uchiha compound and Iruka-sensei will come over every three days and help-“ “-just as good as clan kids and going to talk to civilian kids-“).

(The only redeeming thing about it- and Madara meant the _only_ \- was that the civilian system wasn’t nearly as defective as the shinobi one; if you were a civilian orphan it was normally ok, but the second you enrolled into the academy you fell right though the bureaucratic cracks and no one had done anything because they all thought that was part of how you “toughened up” or something when you weren’t a clan kid. And yeah, Madara wasn’t as volcanically angry as Tobirama, but by the end of the day he was _pissed_. Also, he loved Anko and wanted to carry her around with him; she was _hysterical_. It was too bad he was dying soon otherwise he would keep her.)

It was a long process but keeping Naruto with them meant that he started to get a feel for how Tobirama and Madara handled problems (“In your case you’ll probably be closer to me, make Neji do the Tobirama part and be all calm and centered and shit, it helps to have both in the room”) which would help him later given that they were making no effort to pretend they weren’t grooming him to take over after Tsunade. And Izuna dropping in with information from Itachi (the Uchiha money had all just sat in the bank after the Massacre so it was there to make sure that there was an actual way to get these kid things they needed, luxurious like fresh food and good clothes) made it a little easier because it was clear that lots of people were very invested in making sure nothing like this happened. (Personally Madara was pretty sure that it would be Tobirama’s rampage that would make the most difference. It had made an _impact_.)

(There was no discussion of paperwork that night and as the last of the anger faded from them it was wonderful to fall into something softer than the night before. For all that fast and biting was viscerally satisfying and watching with the Sharingan as Tobirama rode him until he couldn’t remember his name was something he never wanted to loose; Madara was all too aware that they were on borrowed time. He wanted to fit in as much as they could before it ran out. So this, mouthing at a pale shoulder as he pressed close as he could to his lover’s back and moved in him slow and deep. This, with Tobirama mewling and loose-limbed beneath him, grinding deep and never moving too far away, this was what he wanted to carry him to sleep.)

The next morning dawned bright and cool. Tobirama woke to see Madara sitting up and watching the sunrise as he threaded his fingers through Tobirama’s hair, a meditative expression on his face. “Madara?” Madara turned to look at him at his raspy voiced question “It’s nothing love. Just, I have been alive for a very long time and I think this is my last sunrise.” Tobirama sat up and slipped closer so he could press in behind his lover and rest his head on a firm shoulder (and run his hand though the Hair. Last sunrise or no, Tobirama had his priorities on straight) “Do you regret it?” he asked quietly. Madara hummed and linked their fingers together on his thigh “No. not a single moment of it. Without if I may never have seen you again, have had this time with you, and that…” he trailed off voice closing “That is a fate worse than any other.” He croaked out finally as Tobirama pressed closer “I’m sorry I died on you dear one, I didn’t know…. Well. I. I wish we had more time.” He whispered the last like a confession into the Uchiha’s shoulder. Madara’s hand tightened convulsively “Me too. Me too. But, I have to believe that if there is something after this we will do it together- that we will have another chance to do better than this.” “Next time.” Tobirama murmured. “Next time.” Madara agreed.

The entire morning passes like that, strange and slow as they cleaned up what they could and readied things to be carried on after them. Izuna stuck close and they refused to be parted for even a moment (Tobirama casually sitting in Madara’s lap had gotten them some double-takes, they very much didn’t care. Well, Izuna took it as a chance to fuck with people and used every opportunity to drape himself over Tobirama’s shoulders as he sat in Madara’s lap just to confuse them. The albino just rolled his eyes and Madara grinned at the appalled looks- and smirked at the appreciative) it was early afternoon when Izuna broke the silence in the office they were using- not the Hokage’s this time, Tsunade needed it- when he cleared his throat and the other two looked up from where they were reading a document together. “You’re going away today aren’t you.” It wasn’t a question, even so Izuna had to swallow at the confirming nod “I know, I know you’re going tot go together, and Naruto is tired. But. I can’t leave Itachi and Sasuke right now, they can’t function without someone keep an eye on them for a while longer. Not long, like a week at most, but, not today.” Tobirama nodded a thoughtful look in his eyes “That’s smart, they’re still so unstable personality wise, they need someone to set boundaries for them for a bit longer.” Izuna shrugged “Shisui should be back by then end of the week at the latest, then I can go but…” Madara smiled “It’s a good choice Izuna.” Something in Izuna eased at that.

“I also need too- I’ve been avoiding- Tobirama. I owe you an apology. It doesn’t make it right and it doesn’t make it ok but I don’t know what else to do, I’ve tried my best to make Konoha like you would have wanted and I’ve, I’ve regretted it _so much_. But I just, I don’t know how to say sorry.” Tobirama blinked at Izuna’s bowed head “You have nothing to apologize for” both Uchiha opened their mouths and he waved them off “Izuna, I knew what you were going to do the second I decided to heal you. I made my choice knowing what I was doing.” Dead silence. “Is that, is that supposed to make it _better?!_ ” Madara rasped out. “Because it doesn’t, it so doesn’t” added an appalled Izuna. Tobirama rolled his eyes.

“Izuna. I made my choices. Always have. Doing that was a choice I made and- ow, Madara don’t squeeze so hard- one I would” “If you say you would do it again I will-“ “Hush Madara. You gave your life to the same future I did Izuna. That is all anyone can ask.” Izuna frowned a little down at his hands. He wanted, he wanted to have a better apology than this for the other man, he wanted to have…. Something. Some sort of closure maybe. Once upon a time he had thought that a chance to apologize would be the only thing he really wanted but now…. “Does apologizing always feel like this? Like its not enough and never will be?” he asked in a quiet voice. Madara sounded tired when he said: “Only the ones you really mean.”

It was when they were standing on the cliff over-looking Konoha, having sent Izuna for Naruto and Tsunade, that they had a few true moments to themselves. They stood foreheads pressed together breathing the same air for the last moments, “I love you” Tobirama whispered “And I love you” Madara responded as he always would. (Tsunade knew the second she saw Izuna’s face what he was going to say, she wasn’t surprised to find them pressed so close. It wasn’t _fair_.) Tobirama turned a little to look at Naruto “It’s time.” He said gently. Naruto froze, suddenly shaking “No. no you don’t have to go, you can stay, I can keep you here. I can- no- please- I don’t want you to go.” Madara shifted and opened a space between them for him to rush in. Naruto buried his face in Tobirama’s chest as Madara wrapped himself around both of them “I don’t want you to go” he whispered again in a tiny voice. Tobirama sighed gently “No, those who are left behind are always left with the greatest part of the burden. Dying, well, it’s not easy, but it is simple. Living is not. But Naruto, I’m _tired_ , my time is passed and I want to rest.” Naruto’s shoulders shook as he cried into a dead man’s chest.

Tobirama pulled back and tugged his chin up touching the happuri Naruto wore “Did you know that this used to be mine? You wear it well. I am proud of you Naruto, and I leave Konoha in your hands, just don’t forget to share the burden.” Naruto tipped his chin up and smiled a wobbly smile with a firm nod. Tobirama hooked a hand behind Tsunade’s neck to bring her close enough to press a kiss to her forehead and touched Izuna’s shoulder. He looked at Madara and tangled his hand in that lovely hair he had wondered so much about, just looking at the man he loved and soaking up the sight of him looking back. “I choose you” he said and he pressed his finger to the seal on Naruto’s arm. And—

And the _sound_ Madara made when the man he loved fell to dust was one so terrible it shattered all peace of his passing. It was suddenly _so clear_ how loosing Tobirama the first time had broken Madara beyond repair; even here knowing it was coming, he _shattered_. A terrible howl of grief that felt like having everything inside to try to claw it’s way out of your chest burst from him, his face twisting into agony and his Sharingan spinning too fast. Naruto stumbled back, horrified as Madara fell to his knees and Izuna grabbed his arm and dragged him back farther. Madara, barely pieced together over his long years and never, _ever_ , whole until Tobirama came back to him; Madara reached after his long dead love with all his terrible power.

_“I choose you”_

(The oldest headstone in Konoha’s cemetery was a weathered white stone with the epitaph recently carved anew: Tobirama, beloved, loved in life and death; never forgotten. Next to it, pressed close, on a plot that had been empty as long as Konoha had been founded, was a smooth black stone, new carved: Madara, who loved like fire, all that you choose shall be yours.)

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by sharked and Miray “Great, now I'm picturing a Fourth War where Hashirama and Madara air each other's dirty laundry while 80,000 ninja shuffle their feet and look around awkwardly. Meanwhile, zombie!Tobirama is thinking, 'I didn't die for this shit.'” “He even planned a peace treaty and a village so they wouldn't have to think and work too hard. I can imagine how he listens to Madara and asks Izuna "Can you tell me how it happened?!" Izuna: "Hey! Don't ask me! I was surprised too." “It makes me want to read The Fourth Shinobi World War where Madara says to Hashirama these words: “At least Hashirama isn't wrong about one thing ... He didn't become a better man.”


End file.
